GOP launches early attack on McNerney

SACRAMENTO - National Republicans have begun their attempt to unseat Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, a full 20 months before Election Day 2008.

Hank Shaw

SACRAMENTO - National Republicans have begun their attempt to unseat Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, a full 20 months before Election Day 2008.

The Republican National Campaign Committee, which spent tens of thousands of dollars in an unsuccessful effort to save former Tracy Rep. Richard Pombo last fall, has included McNerney in its first round of targets posted on www.therealdemocratstory.com.

The NRCC will also send about 100,000 e-mails into McNerney's 11th District highlighting their criticism of the freshman Democrat's voting record.

"Jerry McNerney needs to explain to his constituents why his voting record is identical to that of the San Francisco Speaker Nancy Pelosi," NRCC spokesman Ken Spain said. "His voters didn't send him to be liberal lap dog of the Democrat Party. If Jerry McNerney is so interested in representing the liberal interests of San Francisco voters, then maybe he should have considered running for office there."

McNerney has voted with Nancy Pelosi 100 percent of the time so far this year.

A Public Policy Institute of California poll released today shows that 49 percent of Central Valley residents approve of the way Speaker Nancy Pelosi is doing her job, while 30 disapprove.

McNerney spokesman Andy Stone says they were expecting the attack.

"We knew it was coming, and they can continue to attack," Stone said. "We're going to keep working for the people of the 11th District."

McNerney recently won an online fundraising contest hosted by former presidential candidate John Kerry; Kerry will now urge his supporters to send money to help McNerney's campaign.

Republicans are particularly incensed over McNerney's votes that would make it easier for unions to organize and set a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Labor helped elect McNerney, who spoke often about his support for an Iraq war timetable during the campaign.

Spain said he hopes their effort will develop into a constant buzz of resistance to McNerney's voting record, through blogs, talk radio, letters to the editor and other grass-roots means.